On Russian Christmas Eve, Mom would set up and decorate a small tabletop tree. We would have a special meal prepared with
seven dishes, all of Russian background. My favorite was the stuffed cabbage.
When my mom was a child, her mother, Lena, would rise early,
cooking for a houseful of children. She would go to the slaughterhouse for
fresh ground beef. As Grandma mixed the
ground beef and rice, Grandpa would sneak bites of the raw beef, certainly not
recommended today. Grandma harvested cabbage from her garden across the road
from the house.
Russia is actually the largest consumer of cabbage
worldwide. Cabbage is used in many ways, ranging from eating raw and simple
steaming to pickling, stewing, sauteing or braising. Pickling is one of the
most popular ways of preserving cabbage, creating dishes such as sauerkraut.
Cabbage is used
extensively in Polish and Russian cuisine. It is one of the main food crops,
and sauerkraut is a frequent dish, as well as being used to stuff other dishes
such as golabki (stuffed cabbage) and pierogi (filled pasta). Other eastern
European countries, such as Hungary and Romania, also have traditional dishes
that feature cabbage as a main ingredient. In the United States, cabbage is
used primarily for the production of coleslaw, followed by fresh market use and
sauerkraut production.
Holidays and food just go together, and make memories for a
lifetime. Do you have a special dish passed on from grandparents or other
relatives?
 |
| My granddaughters, Ava and Sadie last Christmas |
Stuffed Cabbage
2 ½ pounds lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 pound bacon, cut small
1 pound cooked rice
Salt, pepper, Nature Seasoning, to taste
Sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
Wash rice, cook ten minutes. Drain excess water, set aside.
Fry bacon and onion til golden brown.
Drain excess oil.
Put rice in large mixing bowl. Mix in ground beef, bacon and
onions and mix well; add seasonings. Set aside.
Cut cabbage, core out about two inches deep and place head
of cabbage in boiling water to steam until leaves can be removed easily. Repeat
until you remove all cabbage leaves that are big enough to roll. Line the
bottom of a large pot with leaves you don’t use.
Scoop filling and place in leave, tucking in ends and
rolling. Pack stuffed cabbage in pot, then fill with hot water until barely
covered. Place a plate on top, weighted down to keep stuffed cabbage from
floating. Cook on medium low for forty-five minutes, then pour sauce into pot
and cook fifteen minutes more. Good served with hot sauce or ketchup.
Today’s writing prompt: Jakob lifted the forkful of ground
beef, rice and cabbage toward his mouth when his cat, Ralphsky, lunged…
